Shloka 3
Gāndhārī’s Battlefield Survey: The Fallen and the Onset of Funeral Rites (शल्य-भगीरथ-भीष्म-द्रोणादि-दर्शनम्)
येन संगृह्लता तात रथमाधिरथेर्युधि । जयार्थ पाण्डुपुत्राणां तथा तेजोवध: कृत:,तात! ये वे ही शल्य हैं, जिन्होंने युद्धमें सूतपुत्र कर्णके रथकी बागडोर सँभालते समय पाण्डवोंकी विजयके लिये उसके तेज और उत्साहको नष्ट किया था
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
yena saṃgṛhītā tāta ratham ādhirather yudhi |
jayārthaṃ pāṇḍuputrāṇāṃ tathā tejovadhaḥ kṛtaḥ, tāta ||
Vaiśampāyana said: “Dear one, it was he who, in the battle, held the reins of the chariot of the son of a charioteer (Karna). For the sake of the Pāṇḍavas’ victory, he also brought about the destruction of Karna’s ardour and fighting spirit.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how victory in war can hinge not only on weapons but also on the management—or undermining—of a warrior’s tejas (inner fire, confidence, morale). It implicitly raises an ethical tension: strategic acts that sap an opponent’s spirit may decide outcomes, yet they complicate ideals of straightforward heroic combat.
Vaiśampāyana refers to the figure who served as Karna’s charioteer and held his chariot’s reins in battle, while acting in a way that benefited the Pāṇḍavas—specifically by diminishing Karna’s enthusiasm and fighting spirit, thereby aiding the Pāṇḍavas’ victory.